{"id":27248,"date":"2026-07-08T20:37:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T00:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=27248"},"modified":"2026-07-13T21:01:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T01:01:21","slug":"father-material","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/27248","title":{"rendered":"Father Material"},"content":{"rendered":"

Father Material<\/em><\/a> (2026) Alexis Hall<\/a> (London Calling #3)<\/p>\n

\"Father<\/a>This is the conclusion to Luc and Oliver’s story, and unlike the previous two books, doesn’t follow the beats of any particular romantic comedy–or honestly, a romantic comedy.<\/p>\n

That’s not to say it isn’t funny: there is a good deal of silliness.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you want to be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA shark,\u201d replied the little girl more decisively than I\u2019d ever replied to anything in my entire life. \u201cBecause my brother\u2019s scared of sharks.\u201d
\n…
\nWhat kind of shark do you want to be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA ghost shark who lives under your bed and will bite your hand off if it sticks out of the covers in the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you actually trying to give your brother nightmares?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Priya and the girl said simultaneously, with Priya adding, \u201cObviously.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Oliver and Luc are getting ready to adopt a puppy, and Luc manages for freak out about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cyou don\u2019t not want a puppy. You want a puppy. You both want a puppy. You want a puppy so badly you didn\u2019t get one over the pandemic so you could be sure you were getting it for the right reasons.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In a typical Luc manner.<\/p>\n

Riding the high of this positive moment, hoping it would eclipse the three different ways this was still all my fault, I unlocked my phone and googled my friend is in labour what do I do<\/em>. \u201cBridge,\u201d I said, \u201cyou\u2019re fucked. This website is telling me the most important thing is for me to be kind and offer support.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s clear that both Luc and Oliver have done a lot of work, and Luc’s fuck-ups are not because he hasn’t done the work, but because we all can revert at times. <\/p>\n

We just have to own our mistakes.<\/p>\n

So I took a deep breath, put on my waders, and tromped through my own bullshit.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In addition to that, Luc has to arrange a festival to try and save his job.<\/p>\n

Rhys Jones Bowen shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Luc. There\u2019s bad blood there\u2014the last thing you want is for your festival to be caught in the middle of a male voice choir feud.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was about to ask how bad it could be, but\u2026we were talking about a group of middle-aged British men with a hobby they took seriously. It could be very bad indeed. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is, of course, a good deal of social commentary.<\/p>\n

See, this was the problem with equality. Apparently, if you told a society it wasn\u2019t okay to treat one group of people worse than another, it would consider the situation carefully, weigh up its options, and then start treating everyone equally badly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Which I am always here for.<\/p>\n

As it’s the last book, everyone we love makes an appearance.<\/p>\n

I was about seventy percent certain that about seventy percent of Judy\u2019s stories were made up on the spot, but if my maths was right, that made me four hundred and ninety percent certain that at least some of them were true.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But mostly, I just love spending time with Luc.<\/p>\n

As I\u2019d predicted, future Luc was now incredibly pissed off at past Luc for getting him into this mess.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If I wasn’t clear at the start, this isn’t really a rom com. There is a great deal of humor, but the story isn’t a comedy. It’s not not<\/strong> a comedy in the way <\/em>Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble<\/em> was not a comedy. There were times when the story started to make me anxious and I had to put it down for a bit, but it never spiraled in the way Paris did. <\/p>\n

On a final note, please be aware the ending is bittersweet. <\/p>\n

Characters<\/strong>: Luc O\u2019Donnell, Oliver Blackwood, Spud, Odile O\u2019Donnell, Judy, Bridget Welles Tom, Autumn, Jennifer, Peter, James Royce-Royce, James Royce-Royce, Baby J, Jasmine Johnson, Esther, Brian and Amanda, Rhys Jones Bowen, Alex Twaddle, Dr. Amelia Fairclough, Barbara Clench, Priya, Andi, Theresa Lang Ben, Sophie, Twin A, Twin B, Colin, Hilary Topwith St. John Edmonton Bloom de Lancy\/Saint, Michael Giffard, Richard Smoddle, Miss Collins, Mr. Doug Lorimer, Jacqueline, Richard, Maisie Johnson, Bill Thomas, Alan Bowen<\/p>\n

Cover by Elizabeth Turner Stokes<\/p>\n

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca<\/p>\n

Rating: 8.5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Father Material (2026) Alexis Hall (London Calling #3) This is the conclusion to Luc and Oliver’s story, and unlike the previous two books, doesn’t follow the beats of any particular romantic comedy–or honestly, a romantic comedy. That’s not to say it isn’t funny: there is a good deal of silliness. \u201cWhat do you want to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[191,30,897,292,204,207,26,936],"tags":[227,970,544],"class_list":["post-27248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-8-5-10","category-british","category-contemporary","category-ebook","category-good","category-mental-health-rep","category-romance","category-single-point-of-view","tag-alexis-hall","tag-london-calling","tag-mm"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-75u","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27220,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/27220","url_meta":{"origin":27248,"position":0},"title":"Husband Material","author":"Michelle","date":"June 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Husband Material (2022) Alexis Hall (London Calling, #2) Oliver had been seeing a trained professional for nearly two years because of his parents so I did my best to be sensitive and not poke anything that might be the emotional equivalent of a bear or a mine\u2014or a bear-mine, which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "10\/10"","block_context":{"text":"10\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/10-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Husband Material","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Husband_Material-200x300.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20577,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/20577","url_meta":{"origin":27248,"position":1},"title":"Husband Material","author":"Michelle","date":"August 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Husband Material (2022) Alexis Hall (London Calling) Although the characters are the same, this is a very different book from Boyfriend Material. Which I utterly adored. That doesn't mean this book wasn't excellent, just that you need to go into it with different expectations. First and foremost, Alexis Hall said\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Husband Material","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Husband_Material.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Husband_Material.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Husband_Material.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27218,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/27218","url_meta":{"origin":27248,"position":2},"title":"Boyfriend Material","author":"Michelle","date":"June 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Boyfriend Material (2020) Alexis Hall (London Calling, #1) \u201cI\u2019m conscious this could be rather burdensome to hear, but you remain the thing I have most chosen for myself. The thing that\u2019s most exclusively mine. The one that brings me the deepest joy.\u201d if we let happy things make us unhappy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "10\/10"","block_context":{"text":"10\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/10-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Boyfriend Material","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Boyfriend-Material-200x300.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14138,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/14138","url_meta":{"origin":27248,"position":3},"title":"Waiting for the Flood","author":"Michelle","date":"March 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Waiting for the Flood (2018) Alexis Hall (Spires) If you've read Alexis Hall, you may think you know what to expect from this story. Chances are you are completely wrong. It has been two years since Marius decided he was no longer in love with Edwin, and moved out of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Waiting for the Flood","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Waiting-for-the-Flood.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":24407,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/24407","url_meta":{"origin":27248,"position":4},"title":"Confounding Oaths, Audio Book","author":"Michelle","date":"April 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Confounding Oaths, Audiobook (2024) Alexis Hall narrated by Nneka Okoye (The Mortal Follies #2) Set in London in 1814 I really love Nneka Okoye's narration. And of course Alexis Hall's snark. And whereas in the enlightened twenty-first century the marriage of a British aristocrat to a Person of Colour is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Confounding Oaths","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Confounding-Oaths.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23573,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/23573","url_meta":{"origin":27248,"position":5},"title":"Waiting for the Flood","author":"Michelle","date":"May 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Waiting for the Flood (2015\/2024) Alexis Hall (Spires) This is both a reissue and a revision, with Marius' story--Chasing the Light--added, along with bonus material and an epilogue short story. I wanted (and this is straying perilously close to analysing my own work so please take this with a mine\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Waiting for the Flood","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Waiting-for-the-Flood.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Waiting-for-the-Flood.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Waiting-for-the-Flood.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Waiting-for-the-Flood.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27248\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}